Mathematically, "orthogonal" means "at right angles" rather than "in opposite directions". I've seen it used metaphorically to mean "independent", so A and B might be considered "orthogonal" if A had no influence on B. However I don't think that's the intended meaning here since the two interests are described as "pulling in opposite directions".

Guy has nailed it.

As far as I've ever been aware it can be used in its strict mathematical sense of at right angles, though there are other more complicated ways of saying what amounts to the same thing.
It can also be used, by extension from this, to mean "independent" where, in a system, variables which have no effect upon each other can be described as "orthogonal".

This looks to me like someone who doesn't really know what the word means trying to use it in a metaphorical sense and saying something other than what he actually means.

It does NOT mean opposed to in any sense in which I have ever seen it.

orthogonal

The meaning I hear these days is the one from computer science (link and link), but then I don't hang with many mathematicians.